by: Julia Davie, RHN, and Elysia Arseneau, staff writer
With so many new and exciting types of health modalities emerging, it can be a challenge to determine which type of practitioner is right for you, or right for your specific needs. We sat down with NutriChem's Registered Holistic Nutritionist Julia Davie to discover the role that natural nutrition can play on the journey towards improved health and wellness.
Q: What exactly is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist?
Julia: An RHN is a practitioner who takes biochemical individuality into account in order to make dietary, supplement and lifestyle recommendations that are tailored to their clients' unique nutritional needs. Holistic nutritionists base their recommendations on more than just diet. They also consider a client's motivation and commitment, relationship to food, stress level, schedule, mental state and more to initiate lasting dietary and lifestyle changes. RHNs recommend whole, live and natural foods to support specific health conditions, assist in weight loss, and improve overall health.
Q: I guess that's where the "holistic" part comes in, because you consider so many factors of a person's life, and not just their symptoms! With that in mind, what can someone expect when they schedule an appointment with an RHN?
One week before your appointment, the NutriChem RHN will ask you to complete an intake form, which is like a health questionnaire, as well as a diet journal. Holistic Nutritionists use this information as the raw material from which they make their recommendations, so our hope is that clients are as honest as possible when it comes to filling out the forms and detailing what the diet currently consists of. Clients bring the forms in when they attend the first consultation.
At the first consultation, the RHN will review your forms and ask relevant questions regarding your nutritional goals, health history, and diet. The RHN will provide dietary, supplement and lifestyle recommendations to address your main concern and support your overall health.
Following the appointment, the Nutritionist will email you an individualized nutrition protocol, a one-day meal plan that is tailored to your nutritional needs, and any relevant handouts. A follow-up consultation is scheduled for 2 to 4 weeks after the initial appointment so that the RHN can assess your progress, make changes to the protocol as needed, and provide any additional recommendations.
Q: What are the benefits of having an individualized nutrition plan?
That's a great question! Traditional nutrition typically used a "one size fits all" approach to wellness. However, we now know from research and experience that what is good for one person may not be suitable for another. A Registered Holistic Nutritionist listens carefully to each client and works with them to address their specific needs with consideration for their personal health history, goals, and level of motivation.
Q: It sounds like an RHN's training and skill sets could work in conjunction with those of other health professionals. What services are NutriChem RHNs able to offer someone looking to implement a diet suggested by another practitioner?
Registered Holistic Nutritionists are certainly able to work in conjunction with and as a compliment to Clinical Pharmacists, Naturopathic Doctors, Medical Doctors, Physical Therapists, Acupuncturists, Massage Therapists and Yoga Instructors. A clinician will sometimes suggest a specific diet for their patients to follow, including (but not limited to!) the elimination diet, anti-inflammatory diet, Whole 30 diet, low FODMAP diet, candida diet, and paleo diet. Additionally, patients may need to eliminate certain foods from their diet after undergoing food intolerance testing. An RHN is able to clarify the specifics of the diet, answer any questions the client has, and create a meal plan that takes the particulars of the diet into account. If a client is struggling to start or finish a certain diet, a Nutritionist will also provide a client with support and accountability.
Q: How can someone schedule an appointment with one of NutriChem's Registered Holistic Nutritionists?
It's easy! First, decide which of our two Ottawa locations is suitable for you, then phone the clinic to book an appointment.
I am also excited to announce that our clients will also soon be able to schedule appointments online via our updated NutriChem website. So stay tuned for that!
To book a Nutrition Consultation or to learn more about them, click here.
